WASHINGTON, August 4, 2016 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) that expands protections for people and the environment in Bank-financed investment projects. The safeguards review included the most extensive consultation ever conducted by the World Bank. It concludes nearly four years of analysis and engagement around the world with governments, development experts, and civil society groups, reaching nearly 8,000 stakeholders in 63 countries. The framework is part of a far-reaching effort by the World Bank Group to improve development outcomes and streamline its work.
Category Archives: WBG News & Reports
$81 Billion Mobilized in 2015 to Tackle Climate Change – Joint MDB Report
Manila, Philippines, August 9, 2016 – Climate finance totaling $81 billion was mobilized for projects funded by the world’s six largest multilateral development banks (MDBs) in 2015. This included $25 billion of MDBs’ direct climate finance, combined with a further $56 billion from other investors.
The latest MDB climate finance figures are detailed in the 2015 Joint Report on Multilateral Development Banks’ Climate Finance, prepared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) together with MDB partners: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDBG), and the World Bank Group (WBG).
Lessons from Environmental Policy Lending
Sustainable development, including environmental sustainability, is at the core of the World Bank Group’s strategy. Policy lending has been a major part of the World Bank’s lending operations for decades, but recently the number of policy lending operations with environmental goals has increased, supporting policy actions across a broad range of subsectors.
This Learning Product seeks to offer lessons from experience to help inform stakeholders on how to design and implement this instrument, outlining some of the tensions and tradeoffs that must be grappled with in design. The main audience is Bank operational teams helping governments to prepare and implement DPF with environmental goals.
World Bank, USTDA Formalize Procurement Partnership
World Bank
Common procurement goals have brought the World Bank and USTDA together to produce meaningful results. The partnership is also expected to facilitate opportunities for the World Bank to share GPI’s technical resources in countries where mutual interests exist, with an aim of increasing the impact of the Bank’s new Procurement Framework.
U.S. Executive Director to the World Bank, Matt McGuire (center) joined representatives from both the World Bank Group and USTDA teams.
Breaking Down Barriers: Unlocking Africa’s Potential through Vigorous Competition Policy
- A new report finds that reducing the price of food staples by 10% could lift nearly half a million people out of poverty in Kenya, South Africa and Zambia alone.
- African countries have much to gain from promoting competitive markets. Cartels, anticompetitive business practices, and rules that shield markets from competition are significant issues that increase prices for a variety of products.
- Competition authorities have made progress in recent years, but many challenges remain. A starting point is to remove barriers to competition in critical sectors, such as cement, fertilizers and telecommunications.
NEW World Bank Procurement Video
How to bid, finding opportunities, what makes a successful bid!
In this video, Christopher Browne, Chief Procurement Officer of the World Bank shares reasons why businesses should consider bidding on World Bank projects, where to find opportunities to bid, key innovations under the World Bank’s new Procurement Framework, and advice for developing a successful bid. Starting in 2016, the World Bank is implementing a new Procurement Framework. Value for money, sustainable development and integrity are the vision of the new approach. The new Framework will help clients get better development results as it gives the World Bank the space and capacity to significantly increase its support to help countries develop their own procurement systems. For the first time, the World Bank will allow any contract award decisions to be based on criteria other than lowest price, including quality and sustainability.
IFC report: From Companies to Markets
Global Developments in Corporate Governance
The report draws on the expertise of the IFC Corporate Governance Group, members of the IFC Corporate Governance Private Sector Advisory Group and many other practitioners in this important field, providing a fascinating and detailed accounting of the range of changes that have taken place in the past few years as the corporate governance agenda has been elevated.
The content is based on discussions that took place in May 2015 during the practice group meeting on codes and standards.
Energy storage: A critical piece of the power puzzle
Just months after a historic climate conference in Paris, I can’t help but marvel at how far the world has progressed in the uptake of renewable energy. Take solar power, for example. What used to be a prohibitively expensive endeavor just years ago, is now a household-level solution in many countries. Then there are the record-setting solar auctions in countries like Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, India, Mexico, and Peru.
So what’s the next critical piece of the puzzle in our global efforts to provide sustainable energy for all? Continue reading
Improvements in Transportation and Road Safety to Benefit Nearly 400,000 Paraguayans
WASHINGTON, July 26, 2016 – The World Bank (WB) Board of Executive Directors approved a US$100 million loan yesterday that will contribute to reducing transportation costs and improving road safety, as well as the planning and management capacity of Paraguay’s road network. The project will benefit approximately 400,000 Paraguayans that use Routes 1 and 3, which link important development hubs in the country.
New Procurement Framework and Regulations for Projects After July 1, 2016
The World Bank has a new, modern and business-friendly Procurement Framework. This 
modernized approach means greater focus on value for money, more ways bidders to differentiate bids, and more opportunities for dialogue and discussion.
World Bank procurement staff are based in 72 countries to support borrowers throughout the procurement process. Staff work with governments to achieve the highest bidding and contract management standards to get the best development result.
Netherlands for the World Bank 
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